Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-29
RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA.

RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA. ) Boston Merchants Wage Free Trad. With Our Nefghbor.
 1 BOSTON, Dec. 2S.-There was large gath
 ering of prominent gentlemen at the Ven
 dome to-day who had come to attend the an.
 nuaI banquet of the Boston Merchants asso
 citation. Among the persons present last
 night were Hon. Peter Mitchell, Montreal
 John Mcdonald, Toronto; Francis B. Thur
 Der, Erastus Winans and Henry F. Meyer, I New York; Congressman Robert R. Hit, l Illinois. The Washington party arrived this ] morning and attended the informal breakfast
 at one o'clock. Among the others of promi- l hence present were Congressman McKenna, California; John H. Rogers, w. c. Brecken-
 bridge, Kentucky; Hon. J. W. Longley, at
 torney-general for Nova Scotia; Hon. H. G. Blair, attorney general for New Brunswick; 1 w. Muliek, D. B. Dick and Hon. Justice Peterson, Dr. O'Reilly of Toronto, Andrew Robertson of Montreal, L. H. Davies, M. P.,
 of Prince Edwards Island, F. B. Snowball exM. F., of New Brunswick, Senators Hoar | and Dawes and Congressmen Long and Ding l ley. The visitors were received by com l mittee ot Merchants association, while H n Jonathan A. Lane, president of the asso ia l tion, extended cordial reception. After breakfast many of the visitors were driven to various places of interest, while not few enjoyed sleigh ride to Cambridge to see the college buildings.
 The corridors and parlors of the Vendome were tastefully decorated with tropical fol iage, flags and banners when at three o'clock the merchants of Boston honored their guests with reception has been their annual custom. To inspiring music the prominent gentlemen walked to and fro in the corri- dors and through the parlors, chatting upon business matters, while here and there were groups of men engaged in discussion of the
 fishery question. At 4:30 o'clock the doors
 to the spacious dining hall were thrown open and the merchants and guests to the number of two hundred and fifty filed in and being
 seated proceeded to partake of the
 luxuries which Boston's market provides.
 The post-prandial exercises were opened by
 Hon. Jonathan A. Lane, president of the
 club, who extended welcome to the visitors and in appropriate words announced that the commercial relations between the provinces and this country were at present of such an important nature as to demand the attention of merchants and consequently the business men of Boston had invited eminent and dis tinguished gentlemen from the provinces and the national halls of Congress to participate in discussion of this question. Governor Ames being introduced welcomed the visitors to the Bay State in few words. A letter from Mayor O'Brien was next read in which his honor wrote: ttIf vote were to be .aken in Boston to-day I have no doubt that it would advocate reciprocal relations"
 Hon. Erastus Winans of New York and Congressman Robert R. Hit of Illinois both advocated free trade between the United States and Canada. Hon. John Mcdonald, merchant of Toronto, expressed the opinion that it is the duty of both nations to advance reciprocity in accordance with existing rights.
 Hon. John W. Langley, attorney general of Nova Scotia, sad the country of Nova Scotia wants large degree of friendly inter course with the United States. The fishery interests are great, but the people rise above the wretched consideration of fish, We want free, unrestricted intercourse with the United States even to the extent of commercial union Canada cannot ignore neighborhood of sixty country, and the fishery question cannot tie down the Canadians. The first step in con summating @ commercial union must come from the United States because Canada is smaller country. It has been snubbed by your Congress when it has asked for recipro- city and we would not be worthy of our birthright if we fall upon our knees before you. With all your possibilities why can't you be magnanimous and rise from the little fishery squabble to the broader question of commercial union? There has not been | single utterance or expression by Congress or the President and until there is what basis have we for hops2 for one believe in the 1 British empire and that it has extended ciyi- lization, but if I were to answer to question of what is her greatest achievement I should say that handful of Englshmen transplsnted to North America established the greatest nation in the world.
 Congressman John H. Rogers, of Arkansas, said he was not opposed to reciprocity, but wanted to see the boundless universe a friendly nation of ours. His duty in this { question was to secure the utmost good to the largest number. Hon. Peter Michen, M.- P., an editor of Montreal, said Canada has no desire for annexation, for her people are true to the mother country. MT. Chamber lain said without right the other day that Canada may go. "Now," said the speaker, "when Great Britain says that Canada may go she will go with pleasure" Hon. J. B. Snowball, ex-Speaker of Parliament and lumber merchant of Chatham, favored free trade for Canada to such an extent as the young country wants it. He favored the re- movaI of the tariff wall which now exists
 The other speakers were MT. Mulvey, NJ. P. and vice chancellor of Toronto univer- sity, Congressman Breckenridge, DinQley of Maine and McKenna of California